Loading…
Loading contentLoading…
Loading contentThe efficient launch trajectory in which a rocket pitches over slightly after liftoff and then lets gravity gradually bend its path toward the horizontal, keeping the vehicle aligned with its velocity to minimise aerodynamic loads and steering losses. Nearly every orbital launch follows a gravity-turn profile from the pad to orbit.
Facts on this topic will be cited from these primary and reference sources.
Mission data, planetary science, space telescopes, and public-domain imagery.
Most NASA-produced imagery is in the public domain; individual items are checked for usage terms before publication.